Park and Rec Serves Up Arts For Autumn

Suffield's Park and Recreation Department Fall 2011 offerings feature a myriad of creative arts programs for youth participants. Facilitated by the Let's Gogh Art staff of Western Massacusetts and northern Connecticut, the classes for children in grades 3 through 5 explore a range of artistic skills.

The "Yummy Fun Art" course provides instruction on the structure of buildings, and will allow students to create long cabins and tents out of "all things yummy!"

While Let's Gogh Art director Randi Steiger prefers not to give away the precise contents of the yummy building materials, preferring to surprise the participants.

"More importantly to parents however, the kids really learn how to build a structure and how to assemble a safe campfire," she said. "Kids love to create a masterpiece and eat it too!"

"Yummy Fun Art" happens Tuesday. Call Suffield Parks and Recreation at 860-668-3862 to check availability.

In a throwback to 1960s fashion, the "Vibrant Marker Tie Dye Teens" class includes a warm-up round to practice creating patterns using Sharpie markers. The class' main event consists of creating a t-shirt with brilliant colors and psychadelic effects.

"Vibrant Marker Tie Dye Teens" happens Wendesday. As always, call ahead to check availability.

Using overlapping jungle leaves, young artists in the "Jazzy Jungle Cats" will hide whimsical lions amongst the foliage. The cats offer a variety of accessories including socks, multi-colored toes and big grins.

"Jazzy Jungle Cats is a lesson in drawing whimsical lions and fantasy jungles which reinforces creativity through the use of a variety of lines, shapes and colors," Steiger said. "Children create a bit of mystery when they partially hide their cat in over lapping leaves, reminiscent of Henri Rousseau’s jungle paintings."

"Jazzy Jungle Cats" happens Oct. 26 and the registration deadline is Wednesday.

"Red-Eyed Tree Frog" expounds on the nature theme, offering students the opportunity to create light-switch covers for their bedrooms. Using model magic clay, students will get a taste for the wildlife of the rainforest in sculpting their tree frogs.

"Red-Eyed Tree Frog" happens Nov. 2 and the registration deadline is Oct. 26.

Let's Gogh Art has worked with the since 2010 and has offered several summer programs as well. Their philosophy is that creativity is at the heart of all education.

"Our programs foster creativity through a broad exposure to all forms of art media, tools and techniques," Steiger said. "We are not about 'teaching' art, we are about providing kids with artist’s materials and guiding them to use their imaginations and creativity as they choose," said Steiger.

With Halloween fast approaching, the Park and Recreation department is offering two art classes for children in grades 1 trhough 5.

Suffield Park and Recreation is sponsoring a Leonids meteor shower star party at the Bruce Park Pavillion on Nov. 17 for the entire family. The Leonids are the most highly visible meteor shower of the year and are often a marvelous spectacle. A short DVD program will be shown and the event will be led by instructor Bill Fournier, NASA solar system ambassador. Children must be accompanied by an adult for the event, which begins at 7 p.m.

These classes and many more activities can be found at the Suffield Parks and Recreation Web site.

In addition to the arts and crafts programming, Suffield Parks and Recreation offers a full range of athletic activities as well as bus trips to New York City for Christmas shopping on Dec. 3 as well as one to Salem, MA on Dec. 4.